Sam Fender has donated the entirety of his £25k award cash to the MVT, which works to save the United Kingdom's independent concert spaces.
Fender was presented with the prize on mid-October as his latest record his work was chosen as the best record of the past year.
The musician has decided to hand the money over to the MVT, in recognition of the vital role small stages fulfilled in his early career.
"I wouldn't be doing this success if it weren't for all the gigs I performed around the North East, and beyond, when I was just getting going," remarked Fender. "These spaces are renowned, but they are struggling."
Since the start of 2023, over 150 of these spaces have permanently closed – approximately 16 percent of the whole industry in the UK.
In the last year, top acts like Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all backed the Music Venues Trust in its attempts to support the industry, by adding a modest fee to their ticket costs, which goes to help smaller concert halls.
He also participated, generating in excess of £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to support 38 local spots across the UK.
The money helped spaces that were dealing with potential shutdown due to challenges caused by floods, fire incidents and family tragedies, as well as licensing issues, legal disputes and sound issues.
Additional spaces obtained monetary aid in improving infrastructure and sound and lighting systems that helped performers and audiences.
"The notion that money from performances in big venues helps the independent spots, where it kicks off for artists like me, is just common sense," Fender has stated.
The musician is not the first artist to give his award prize money to charitable organizations.
Back when the band earned the award in 1996 for their release their work, vocalist the singer announced that the band would give their winnings to the charity War Child.
That year, rapper and singer Ms Dynamite divided her prize between several charities, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.
"And I contributed a £1,000 to the center, to their classes, because I practiced gymnastics when I was younger and they required better apparatus," she explained to outlets.
Two years ago, Ezra Collective donated their winnings to the youth organization that nurtured their band, in addition to other local music groups.
Also winners that year they gave their prize to a multiple sclerosis charity after a acquaintance was identified with the illness.
"Receiving the award was sufficient," stated vocalist Heather Small. "The prize was the bonus but we didn't require the extra, because we had the cake. So our success touched the lives of others."
In the past week, the Music Venues Trust announced it had rescued several local spots in south-east England, by placing them under local control.
The Joiners in Southampton and the other in Bristol were acquired under the Own Our Venues scheme, which is supported by the arts council and supporters who purchase "ownership units" in the properties.
